The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-06-23

merchant in the StOre-rOOm and the beg
gar on the highway. Mr.. Spencer thinks
that this varied instruction, 80 infinite in
extent. so nicely adapted to the countless
necessities of diverse millions, SO costly in
It's demands upon time, energy and talent,
so skilfully combining science and art, so
surely and remOrselessly subjecting theory
to the test of experience; wonderful
instruction that now employs in its service
all the best intellect and energy and am
btlOn of the world-this knowledge so
shrewdly gained and so skilfully applied
in the school of business, could better be
given in the academies, public schools and
colleges. Consider all the businesses that
employ nlne-tenthS of the human race,
businesses that are now conducted with
skill and success; it requires no argument
to show the impracticability, nay the i'm
possibility, of teaching them as part of
general system of public education.
Special technical schools may facilitate the
work of special professions, and science
may have its special practical value here.
| These special schools have hitherto existed
as a part of, or as Identical with, special
| trades or professions. Recent attempts
to give them separate existence and to
| supply in them by theoretical instruction
! the knowledge gained elsewhere by prac
| teal experience have not gone far enough
| ~
| suits. Their main work so far has been
to observe, to study, to comprehend, to
| initiate lmperfectly, to criticize, to name
in scientific phraseology what the practi-
cal workers have done and are doing in
the field, the laboratory, the mill, the
mine, and the shop.
But Mr.. Spencer is discussing the prac-
| teal value OF science in a general system
| of education. Now education is either
1in
| schools or in colleges and universities.
Let US consider the practical value Of sci
encc n the public schools. Here al pres
ent are educated the carpenters, black
| smiths, rloWmen, sailors, clerks, miners,
| dltchers, wood d-cutters, tiremen, brakes
men, teamsters, bricklayers and coal-dig
| gers Educated in what2 in mechanics?
or metallurgy: or astronomy? or geology?
Educated, and very imperfectly educated,
] in the three rudiments essential to every
| business, reading, writing and arith-
metlc. Grant that special training in
| science is needed by these rude laborers;
grant that 2 man is Il better brakesman
| for knowing the science of mechanics or a
| better cOal-digger for studying geology
| and mineralogy; that negro will cult
yatc cotton better with q knowledge of
chemistry and botany, or fatten his hogs
more successfully after studying zoology,
or call them up more sonorously by the
principles of acoustics; grant even that a
cook after a four years course in zoology,
| heat, mechanics, hydrostaticS physiology,
hygiene. anatomy and psychology obtains
50 fine knowledge ofmeats, fires, stoves,
kettles, health, joints and human nature
that she can roast joint exactly right to
supply the blood that will produce an epic
poem; grant all this and whatever else is
claimed, the practical question still re-
mains;-if the world is now scarcely able
to learn reading, writing and ciphering in
the public schools, how can it learn all
these wonderful sciences? Is it not evi-
dent that scientific instruction, as an ele-
ment in general system of schools, would
be not only without practical value, but
from the difficulties of the case, from lack
of time, money and competent teachers,
also without value as a means Of general
culture?
As to the necessity for scientific instruc-
ton in a general system of higher educa-
ton, in the colleges and universities, every
Que Will concede its inestimable value, if
scientifically taught, as means Of mental
culture and a source of general knOwl-
:, edge but its special practical value can be
seen only through the microscopic specta-
cles of scientific theorist. 1t is fashion
able to ask ''What is the practical value of
Greek to the average lawyer And, pray
of what practical value to him is calculus
or astronomy? or zoology or physics2 or bot
any? or geology2 or mineralogy? What use
does the average merchant make Of chemis
try? what use does the astronomer make OF
geology? or the geologist of astronomyl the
miner of zoology? or the stock-b breeder OF
mineralogy. Is it not evident that the
5 practical value of each science is confined
to one or more special trades Or profes
sions? Is it not evident that science has
no practical value in a general system o1
education. When we consider, moreover
/ that four -ffths of the men who are edu
{ Gated at colleges and universities do moi
engage Gin the production, preparation
and distribution of commodities, in which
Mr.. Spencer embraces the occupations O.
/ all mankind, but in governing, preaching
: sermons, physicking, teaching, editing
} newspapers, supplying literature and af
| fording amusement to those that are thu
, engaged: when we consider that the edu
Gated classes use their education, as
: rule, either for self-culture and pleasure
or to supply the mental, moral and sOcla
needs Of the non-educated, who in turl
2 supply their physical needs; when we con
slider the purposes of general COLLEGIATE
education and the uses made of it in afte
f life by the vast majority of those recelyln:
g it, can we recognize the practical value o
science in such a system? Nor will it suf
: flee to say that this is begging the ques
f ton; to say that if the world prefer thi
Y kind Of education, the world is all wrong
/ Such an assumption must be proved
/ 1t is merely protest against human ma
r ture, protest against the experience 0
Y man in all ages and countries, and there
t fore Impractical and contrary to the com
r mon sense of the world. The time ha
s not yet come when the stove emaker
S more honored than the poet. The worl
loves to have its heart warmed no les
r than its toes.
j Mankind is and always has been bette
e educated in science than in literature, al
g or philosophy. What it needs is not &C
S ditional scientific training but better tralr
a ing of the heart and conscience. Th
e production of wealth is ample, more tha
it ample for all the world, but men will nc
a divide it fairly. The rules of health ar
e few and simple, but men will not ODE
) them 1t is pitiful to see the foremos
,e philosopher of the century, this centur
1t of wealth and power and comfort, {
e steam and electricity, this age of sciene
n triumphant over nature, this age, alas! {
e misery, unhappness and crime, of hear
e dissatisfied and souls weary and col
ic sciences troubled, to see this giant inte
l. lect demanding more money, more powe